


this is home

by verbalmint



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: 00fftober, 31 Days Of Halloween, A bittersweet take, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Day 23: Tomb/Graveyard, Day 8: Home, Day 9: Storm, Established Relationship, Home, M/M, Slice of Life, Storm - Freeform, They just talk about life, This is Reality, Tomb/Graveyard, no one dies, not even close, slight angst, sweater
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-23 18:02:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21085535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verbalmint/pseuds/verbalmint
Summary: doyoung and jungwoo find out home is more than just a feeling.





	1. hail me down

**Author's Note:**

> > **day 8: home**
> 
> It begins here: 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> doyoung loves winter as much as jungwoo didn't.

> **day 9: storm**

Jungwoo is freezing cold, frigid, as he wills movement to the tips of his fingers in a desperate attempt to tug at the sheets. 

Outside the wind howls, a hailstorm brewing as the harsh sound of a window shutting close reaches his ears. 

All he wants is to cocoon himself from head to toe with the blanket. Already he's stolen Doyoung's end of the quilt. Heck, he's shaking. Winter is not his favorite season, not when it leaves him in chills and shivers even in thick layers of clothing. 

Doyoung seems to have noticed. It's a quarter past four in the morning as he shifts closer and encases Jungwoo—can’t see his trembling ceasing—in an embrace. 

Jungwoo whispers a question in raspy breaths, "Can we turn on the heater?" 

But Doyoung is stubborn, slowly but definitely linking his arms together around Jungwoo as temporary resolve when he answers "No" in a whisper.

At the back of his mind, it's just an excuse to envelope Jungwoo in the comfort and warmth he emits, making up for the lack of heat. 

In reality, he just refuses to bring up the rising electricity bill in the picture. 


	2. ugly sweater weather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> perhaps ugly sweaters make everything slightly better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> think old married couple vibes. that's what i had in mind. dowoo makes me feel soft, but i wanted to tackle them in a more serious note.

> **day 11: sweater**

Jungwoo couldn't sleep. He's been shifting and turning for at least fifteen minutes when Doyoung notices, turning him over so they're face to face. Jungwoo positions himself comfortably on his side, his head perched on his two hands as he looks at Doyoung. 

"Do you want me to sing you to sleep?" Doyoung offers. There's at least five inches between them, but words didn't need to be said. They just know what the other wanted, so Doyoung hums and Jungwoo really tries to close his eyes. No matter how comforting Doyoung’s voice sounded, it really wasn’t working.

So Jungwoo blinks in thought after a few minutes, softly shaking his head. "I want to watch a movie. Maybe a chick flick to laugh ourselves to sleep."

And they do just that, sitting up on the bed beside each other. Doyoung grabs the remote control off the bedside table, turns the television set on situated a meter across their bed, flipping channels until he lands on an ongoing movie. They watch for a steady half hour, trying to grasp the situation. It's a typical boy meets girl, courting ensues, and they fall in love. A scene catches Doyoung's attention every now and then whereas Jungwoo’s been continuously swooning in amusement. 

It's nearing winter in the movie and leading girl doesn't know what to get her man, until she comes up with a brilliant idea and it pans out to a montage of her knitting him a sweater and the ridiculous romantic background music that plays just in time when she gives it to him and they're both blushing, professing their love yadda yadda yadda. It’s exactly this scene where Doyoung’s already smirking, making sounds of discontent. 

Jungwoo knows Doyoung hated sappy, cheesy romantic gestures, but he comes up with an amazing idea from the movie to spite Doyoung. Christmas is coming and he just thought it would be nice to get them both matching sweaters for the season, outfits to wear as they open their grander gifts. This year, he got Doyoung a watch in silver and gold just like Jungwoo knew he wanted—it wasn’t hard to guess when Doyoung always went for a once-over in this one shop whenever they were in the mall. Already it’s buried underneath Jungwoo’s closet where he knows Doyoung wouldn't look. But for tomorrow, he notes a mental reminder to self to buy yarn on the way home. He'll just have to figure along the way where he kept the crochet needles. 

It’s when Doyoung starts exactly complaining, "That's so cheesy," and he's turning the TV off abruptly when the movie hasn’t exactly ended. "The end," Doyoung concludes it himself, tucking himself back to sleep. 

Jungwoo whines in complaint, but only for a moment. He had to admit, sleep was claiming him too. His eyes were getting heavier by the second, threatening to close, clamoring for rest, so he adjusts himself back down from the headboard, tucks himself next to Doyoung, and they drift off to sleep with whispers of good night. 

It takes Jungwoo a week of hiding bruised fingers until he finishes Doyoung's sweater. It was hard enough to do in between bites of lunch and on the commute home when neither of them are fetching each other, fishing it out from his bag in the bus and quietly knitting, that even his eyebrows are knitting together in unparalleled focus just so he could finish it by the first week of December. Another week to finish his matching one, with the same reindeer design. The base of the sweaters is two-tone in blue and white, then a brown reindeer at the center with a cherry red nose much like Rudolph...or Doyoung. Jungwoo is confused at this point who resembles it more, smiling to himself as he completes the seams. 

One night Doyoung even almost catches him red-handed. It's a good thing Doyoung looked too preoccupied to care, hastily excusing himself towards the direction of the restroom. Possibly heeding the call of nature. It gives Jungwoo enough time to shove their sweaters under the couch covers. 

Jungwoo just thought it would be a good idea to work on the finishing touches in the living room, for one last sweep to snip and chip away loose threads here and there. 

Fifteen days before Christmas, Jungwoo makes it home an hour earlier than Doyoung. It was a Friday and one of those days he has more time to cook dinner for both of them and maybe give the sweater already so he could get it out of the way and they could laugh at how ugly they looked together. The plan was to spite Doyoung anyway because he hated cheesy gestures, but Jungwoo just wanted to do so just to tease the other. 

So as soon as Doyoung arrives, Jungwoo ushers him to the living room couch and has him sit down. “I have something to give you.” Jungwoo makes his way in front of Doyoung who’s already seated on the couch. 

“Am I supposed to close my eyes?”

What Jungwoo doesn't expect is for Doyoung to be so obedient about this, no additional questions asked like usual. Doyoung does as he’s told the first time. He even closes his eyes already too. But Jungwoo doesn’t think much about it, maybe Doyoung just knew what he’s up to already. It wasn’t the first time he’s pulled a surprise for the older. So Jungwoo bends over just behind Doyoung and pulls out their matching sweaters and wears one for himself. Gently he makes a grab for Doyoung’s hands too and stretches them out so he could put him in the other sweater. 

Doyoung doesn’t say anything for a moment, just staring at something much more interesting on the floor than the sweater Jungwoo just dressed him in. 

Jungwoo finds this odd, stiffening in his seat. The air felt heavy all of a sudden, the next second Doyoung makes a move to bury his face in his own hands. His face paints confusion. Perhaps pain. Doyoung’s obviously shaking, hands formed into fists as he looks down at his chest. Slowly, Doyoung lifts his right fist, for a split-second finding purchase on his mouth as if he was repressing something. It takes a few seconds before the first tear falls, and he's crying and Jungwoo finds this alarming. 

“Oh god, is it that ugly?”

Doyoung just sobs harder, shaking his head. “No, I love it.”

It's something else. 

Turns out Doyoung lost his job, which Jungwoo deciphers from his broken phrases despite the body wracking sobs. "I just," Doyoung starts, immediately pausing midway, "lost my job." He gets through the first part of the news finally as his tears cascade effortlessly, his face wet in tears and snot. "It's hard enough that we could barely keep up with everything," he stops for a moment and he's sobbing into his hands that the minute he retracts he can barely see Jungwoo through the blurry tears. "The bills are piling up. I don't want to burden you so much more."

It was just enough reason for Jungwoo to take him in his arms and Doyoung allows himself release as his tears soak through the pads of the newly sewn sweater. “They say it’s redundancy and I’m the one better taken out.”

Jungwoo doesn't know what to do or say as he kisses the top of Doyoung's head. Truthfully, Jungwoo's always been more of a crier in this relationship and Doyoung was often emotional too, but he covers it up in insults and annoyance, walking out as a temporary resolve until they’re settling their arguments like two mature adults would. To say that this was all new to Jungwoo was an understatement.

“I'm sorry,” Doyoung manages through gritted teeth. 

“You don't have to say sorry.” It doesn’t take a minute until Jungwoo's crying too and it makes Doyoung laugh, almost hysterically laughing and crying simultaneously as he looks at the reindeer on Jungwoo’s chest. He utters, "Right, this is stupid and that reindeer looks ridiculous,” before pointing at Jungwoo’s chest and wiping the tears forming at the corner of his own eyes again with his sleeve.

Jungwoo takes Doyoung’s face in his hands as they laugh and cry together. "Seeing you cry makes me cry too." 

Doyoung allows himself to lean into Jungwoo’s touch. "We're stupid," he says and that’s when he feels Jungwoo’s calloused hands. He leans back and sees the bruises black and blue on the tips of Jungwoo’s fingers. 

“Why are your fingers bruised?” 

"I've been sewing for weeks, but it doesn’t matter.” Jungwoo reaches his hands out to Doyoung’s own and clasps. “And I thought you said you found that one movie cheesy.” 

“I did,” Doyoung admits. “But you made me a sweater and I love you for it," he says as he kisses Jungwoo briefly on the lips. 

“I really thought you were crying because it was that ugly.”

“It's called an ugly sweater for a reason, but it's the best looking sweater I have now. Just take the compliment already. You won't hear this from me every day.” 

“Alright,” Jungwoo chuckles. “But if it makes you feel better, you’ve gotten your thirteenth month pay and separation fees aren’t exactly cheap either. They’re losing millions, we’re not.” 

Doyoung nods, his lips form into a thin line in agreement. 

“But really, to me you’ll always be enough. You’ll get a new job, we’ll get you out there in another round of interviews. It'll be okay."

“When you put it like that, it really doesn’t sound so bad at all.”

And perhaps, Jungwoo is right. Just as well, no money could ever make them feel safe and secure for life without each other.

It settles it. They are home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so that settles it. i'm just a sappy employee working an 8-hour job and even it's translating in my recent pieces. 
> 
> on a more serious note, i do know i need to edit this some more. i've got issues with tenses, but i really wanted to post this before the feeling passes.


	3. aster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> doyoung swears he'll be the first to go and jungwoo decides he doesn't like the sound of that.

> **day 23: tomb/graveyard**

Jungwoo and Doyoung have nothing better to do on the weekend. 

They choose to stay in, spending some time in their small backyard to stargaze. Weekdays on end were reserved for work and getting things done to make a living. Rarely was there any time to properly look at each other's faces, only knowing each other's warmth in the coldest of nights when their blankets weren't enough. 

Dinner was spent in quiet talks of their daily, a blow by blow look into each other's important highlights of the day. 

This was a welcome change. One they have gotten used to in hopes to save up for their shared dreams of one day traveling the world together. This would have to do. For now. In the comfort of their home, the proximity, some small sacrifices for the promise of a better tomorrow. 

All the lights are turned off and only a small lamp was lit back in the comfort of their humble home. 

They lie on the grass bed on their backs, shoulders pressed against each other. Jungwoo asks how life began and Doyoung just keeps mum, a smile on his face because it's a question of rhetoric. There was no right or wrong answer, it was just. Life. What's this life, anyway?

But then Jungwoo continues. He asks of the end and Doyoung could only look at him in knowing. They both well know it's something inevitable, a subconscious thought creeping from the back of their minds. Not too soon, they both hope, a quiet routine in their prayers every night before they go to sleep.

"But if it happens, I want you to bring flowers to my grave every day," Jungwoo says, a silly glint in his eyes, knowing full well it would elicit a reaction from Doyoung. 

In which Doyoung counters, "That will never happen," as if he's oh-so sure.

It shots Jungwoo down, renders him in panic, frantically locking arms with Doyoung in worry of the implications, the exact meaning of what he's saying--that Doyoung will be the first to go. "Don't say that. Don't say that, Kim Dongyoung. No goodbyes, only hellos. I'll hold on so you won't let me go."

"I'll try."

They lapse in radio silence for the longest time, Doyoung just staring up into the sky. But when he looks over his shoulder at Jungwoo, he receives a death glare and an almost punch to his shoulder if he hadn't caught Jungwoo's fist with his hands first. He doesn't let go, just perches Jungwoo's hand where his heart beat before kissing the top of his head an 'I love you'. 

When they part, Jungwoo says, "I'll bring you a clump of asters every day. It would mean patience and peace, but an afterthought of longing, wishing things would have turned out differently. I'll turn back time if I have to. I won't stop." 

Doyoung just smirks with a shake of his head. Jungwoo was being sappy again and it's the most he could be so himself, exactly the way Doyoung knew he was a keeper. 

And anyway, the end is nowhere near. They were just getting started for the rest of their lives together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that concludes the short stories in this verse. really want to make this longer, so i just might but who knows. 
> 
> reach me:  
[twt](https://twitter.com/mintswiss21) | [cc](https://curiouscat.me/pepperminteu)  
drop me prompts, say hi, share some love, doesn't matter


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